Used to be... Not Anymore!

Perhaps it was timely that the message at church this morning was about repentance. Of course this topic is applicable at any point in time, but the scriptures quoted were classic and beautiful—of which I want to write about today. First I would like to share 3 stories:

1. Paul used to be a persecutor of Christians. He hated the followers of Jesus. He wanted to see them all locked up in prison. On his way to Damascus, the Lord appeared to him. His life from then onwards was never the same again. He used to be a persecutor, but not anymore!

2. A woman was brought before Jesus in the temple. The Pharisees caught her in the act of adultery. They were condemning her for what she did. The Law of Moses says to stone her. They ask what Jesus would say. He stood up and said, “All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!” When the woman’s accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

“No Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

If the woman went and sinned no more, then she could say to the world, “I used to be an adulterer, but not anymore!”

3. A young son obtained his portion of the family estate as an early inheritance. Once received, the son immediately took off. He went away to a distant land and began to waste his fortune on wild living. When the money ran out, a sever famine hit the country and the son finds himself in terrible circumstances. He took a job feeding pigs. He was so destitute that he even longed to eat the food assigned to the pigs.

The young man finally came to his senses, remembering his father. In humility, he recognized his foolishness, and decided to return to his father and ask for forgiveness and mercy. The Prodigal Son was repentant. His father, who had been watching and waiting, received his son back with open arms of compassion. Perhaps the son cried to his father, “I used to be bad, but not anymore!”
Some of us may find ourselves in either of the circumstance described in the stories above. Or, we may even relate to all, although not in the same degree. The essence of the stories is the amazing power of repentance and forgiveness—that it is true and real that a person can change.

Our life is but made up of a variety of actions. These actions may either make or break us. Even a guided life may turn out to be prodigal in one way or the other.

I turn to the story of an old violin. It was battered and scarred, yet found itself in an auction. The auctioneer thought it a waste of time, but still asked those who would want to bid on the old violin. "Who'll start bidding for me? A dollar, a dollar - now who’ll make it two -Two dollars, and who’ll make it three? Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three.”

No one made a bid. Who would want to bid on a seemingly worthless, useless musical instrument?
Then from the back of the room, a gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow. He wiped the dust from the old violin & tightened the strings. Then, he began to play a pure and sweet melody.

When the music ceased, the auctioneer began to start the bidding from a thousand dollars. Still, no one made their bid. Some people cheered, but some of them cried. They didn’t understand what changed its worth. It was because of the touch of the Master’s hand. I now quote from the poem:

And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and torn with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd.Much like the old violin.

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on,
He's going once, and going twice -He's going - and almost gone!
But the MASTER comes, and the foolish crowd,
Never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul, and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the MASTER'S hand.

But changing to become a better person or a man of God, may not last until another persuasion comes. What then, can make one firmly say, “Used to be, not anymore!”

Once our lives and hearts are touched by the Savior’s love, we become humbled and begin to not “look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.” We feel to love the Savior back which drives us to avoid sin. We cannot say “not anymore!” and stay firm at that, until we let the Lord touch our hearts and fix our lives.

I end with these words of Nephi—an ancient American prophet. I love this part of the book of Nephi. Truly this is probably the most beautiful psalm I ever read. [2 Nephi 4:16-35]

Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard. Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.

My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh. He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me. Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time. And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me. And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.

O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions? And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?

Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul. Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions. Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation. O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin? May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!

O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy. O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.

Even if we think we are walking in the path of right, at some point we get tempted to go astray, relax, and get curious about things—or even go back to who and what we used to be. Sometimes I tend to believe that to be typical—that the happenings in life can be repeated and will just turn into a cycle. But the words of God are supposed to bring permanence in one’s resolve to change.

When King Benjamin preached the word of God to the people, “they all cried with once voice, saying : Yeah, we believe all the words of which thou hast spoken unto us; and also we know of their surety and truth, because the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which was wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil , but to do good continually.”

“To do good continually”, to say “not anymore” requires more than human effort. Once we hear the Word, and live accordingly, and once the Spirit touches our heart, we are then converted into a being incapable of becoming a prodigal—a being whose choices are in tuned with the will of God. To reach this ultimately, the Lord gives us reminders in almost every place we go, and in every action we do. Disobedience or wrongdoing blurs our vision and sensitivity to the influence of God. We need to be vigilant as the adversary doubles or even triples his effort to lead us away from righteousness and bring us to misery.

I’m working to grasp that point where I can say that a “mighty change” had been shaped in my heart, so that the Lord can work in making me “shake at the appearance of sin”. I want to be able to say that “I used to be, but not anymore!”

Christmas Moving Forward

The year is about to go. Soon the trees that we have put up and the lights we’ve adorned our houses with will have to be taken down. The mistletoes, the wreaths, and lanterns will all have to go to their hiding places once again. It will not be until another year for them to be restored.

The jovial feeling of the season will take a step back and life goes back to its conventional mode. It’s somewhat forlorn that once in a year this poem comes along:

It's Christmas Time Again
(by Bob Lazzar-Atwood)

Put your problems on probation
Run your troubles off the track,
Throw your worries out the window
Get the monkeys off your back.
Silence all your inner critics
With your conscience make amends,
And allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!

Call a truce with those who bother you
Let all the fighting cease,
Give your differences a breather
And declare a time of peace,
Don't let angry feelings taint
The precious time you have to spend,
And allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!

Like some cool refreshing water
Or a gentle summer breeze,
Like a fresh bouquet of flowers
Or the smell of autumn leaves,
It's a banquet for the spirit
Filled with family, food and friends,
So allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!

The Christmas season seemed to have become an excuse for not being deleterious. It has become a habit to think that once a year we become extra kind, helpful, & generous, and that we can only “allow” ourselves “some happiness” during Christmas time. What makes Christmas a time to place our misbehaviors on hold? What sets it apart from any other occasion throughout the year? What’s Christmas all about?

Over 2000 years ago, a child was born of Mary and Joseph. This child and event was seen & prophesied by a prophet named Isaiah long before it happened. It was declared by an angel (Gabriel) that this child will be called Jesus, and that he will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. His birth was a manifestation of God’s love: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Isaiah declared: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: …
“… He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:4–5).

This is the lifeblood of Christmas. We all know the story, but sometimes the purpose of which becomes trifling.

The “reason for the season”, as the saying goes, is Christ. It is the time of year when Christians celebrate his birth. He is the personification of all uprightness & the source of goodness & love in the world. He has taught: “Love one another, as I have loved you…” (John 13: 34-35). “Whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him, as well.” When the woman taken in adultery was set before Jesus and the Pharisees ought to have her stoned, he reminded: “Whoever among you is guiltless may be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). It was He who also taught in parables.

Who has not become acquainted with Parables such as the “Good Samaritan”& the “Prodigal Son”? When it was time for him to be taken in by Roman soldiers, preparatory to his crucifixion, he restored a soldier’s ear which was severed by one of his followers, in his defense. Such act of mercy was culminated on the cross when he said: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). His ministry and life were replete with acts of kindness & forgiveness: “If your brother sins, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him”.

In the great Plan of Happiness, we must be saved from our sins. The perfect and sinless offering for sin was none other than Christ. He is the Son of God and the only Begotten of the Father, in the flesh. There was none other who could have possibly taken our sins upon him and suffered the way Jesus did. There had to be an atonement made.

Amulek, a prophet of the new world has spoken about this: “And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

“For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made” (Book of Mormon, Alma 34: 8-9).

Christmas should remind us of the mission and role of Jesus Christ in our lives. It is set apart from all other events & celebrations because it is by him and through him that we are saved and can receive eternal life.

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Christ has underscored the significance of his role when he said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

For us who believe and follow Christ, Christmas should just be another ordinary day in being the kind of people we ought to be. When he visited the Americas, Christ taught that we ought to be like him: “Therefore, what manner of men [& women] ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am” (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 27:27).

What then is the substance of being nice, forgiving, more loving, more kind, & more generous during Christmas season when these attributes should become natural to us and should be demonstrated at all times, in whatever season of the year. The adorning of the Christmas tree, and the setting up of lights and other Christmas decors had become symbolic of our behaviors in life, in that we always have to take them down after the holiday. We tend to go back being unforgiving, unkind, impatient, irritable, selfish, hateful, & miserable. The good things which adorned us throughout the Christmas season were taken down together with the material ornamentations we’ve set up for the celebration.

Howard Hunter once said: “When we take Christ into our lives as a moving, dynamic, vitalizing force, the real Christmas comes”. When we accept Christ and His teachings, and when we repent of our sins, we are baptized into His fold. That is the time when we start adorning ourselves with His (Christlike) attributes. We become living trees with ornaments such as humility, charity & love, obedience & diligence, faith and hope. These become a part of us and do not need to be taken down or suspended for another year. We grow into living examples of the Savior.

As we welcome the New Year, and as we take down those material and physical ornaments along the way, may we be reminded to keep the lessons of Christmas & retain the real Christmas within our souls.

I have thought about changing some phrases in the poem to make it sound more lasting.

It’s Christmas

Put your problems on probation
Run your troubles off the track,
Throw your worries out the window
Get the monkeys off your back.
Silence all your inner critics
With your conscience make amends,
And allow yourself the same happiness
Which Christmas always brings.

Work to reunite with those who bother you
Let all the fighting cease,
Understand all of your differences
And declare a time of peace,
Don't ever let angry feelings taint
The precious time you spend,
And allow yourself the same happiness
Which Christmas always brings.

Like some cool refreshing water
Or a gentle summer breeze,
Like a fresh bouquet of flowers
Or the smell of autumn leaves,
It's a banquet for the spirit
Filled with family, food and friends,
And allow yourself the same happiness
Which Christmas always brings.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Image taken from Reflections of Christ by Mark Mabry. Visit the site www.reflectionsofchrist.org

On Prop 8 Issue

The battle continues between supporters and opponents of Proposition 8 in the state of California, in the U.S. This proposition is a constitutional ammendment that ensures the protection of marriage between a man and a woman. This had to come out since recently, the California Supreme Court overturned the state's laws on marriage extending the same rights to gay people.

Proposition 8 came out as a petition to revert court ruling and bring back the definition of marriage to the traditional. Campaigns began and the division was labeled 'Yes on 8' and 'No on 8'. This issue had to be fought through an election.

The people of California voted in support of Prop 8, with 'Yes on 8' campaign winning by 52.5% compared to 'No on 8's 47.5%. Thus, the state's Supreme Court ruling allowing gay people to wed was overturned. With this, protests from gay-marriage supporters pushed up in anger, calling those who support Prop 8 as 'haters'.

I support Proposition 8 because I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, as prescribed by God, whom I have faith in. I do not hate people who oppose this belief. I have gay friends and I respect them. I believe I share this same feeling with those who stand with me in support of banning gay marriage.

To further discuss this issue, here's a good read from Orson Scott Card, a renowned writer.

State job is not to redefine marriage

The first and greatest threat from court decisions in California and Massachusetts, giving legal recognition to "gay marriage," is that it marks the end of democracy in America.

These judges are making new law without any democratic process; in fact, their decisions are striking down laws enacted by majority vote.

The pretext is that state constitutions require it -- but it is absurd to claim that these constitutions require marriage to be defined in ways that were unthinkable through all of human history until the past 15 years. And it is offensive to expect us to believe this obvious fiction.

It is such an obvious overreach by judges, far beyond any rational definition of their authority, that even those who support the outcome of the decisions should be horrified by the means.

We already know where these decisions lead. We have seen it with the court decisions legalizing abortion. At first, it was only early abortions; within a few years, though, any abortion up to the killing of a viable baby in mid-birth was made legal.

Not only that, but the courts upheld obviously unconstitutional limitations on free speech and public assembly: It is now illegal even to kneel and pray in front of a clinic that performs abortions.

Do not suppose for a moment that the "gay marriage" diktats will not be supported by methods just as undemocratic, unconstitutional and intolerant.

Already in several states, there are textbooks for children in the earliest grades that show "gay marriages" as normal. How long do you think it will be before such textbooks become mandatory -- and parents have no way to opt out of having their children taught from them?

And if you choose to home-school your children so they are not propagandized with the "normality" of "gay marriage," you will find more states trying to do as California is doing -- making it illegal to take your children out of the propaganda mill that our schools are rapidly becoming.

How dangerous is this, politically? Please remember that for the mildest of comments critical of the political agenda of homosexual activists, I have been called a "homophobe" for years.This is a term that was invented to describe people with a pathological fear of homosexuals -- the kind of people who engage in acts of violence against gays. But the term was immediately extended to apply to anyone who opposed the homosexual activist agenda in any way.

A term that has mental-health implications (homophobe) is now routinely applied to anyone who deviates from the politically correct line. How long before opposing gay marriage, or refusing to recognize it, gets you officially classified as "mentally ill"?

Remember how rapidly gay marriage has become a requirement. When gay rights were being enforced by the courts back in the '70s and '80s, we were repeatedly told by all the proponents of gay rights that they would never attempt to legalize gay marriage.

It took about 15 minutes for that promise to be broken.And you can guess how long it will now take before any group that speaks against "gay marriage" being identical to marriage will be attacked using the same tools that have been used against anti-abortion groups -- RICO laws, for instance.

Here's the irony: There is no branch of government with the authority to redefine marriage. Marriage is older than government. Its meaning is universal: It is the permanent or semipermanent bond between a man and a woman, establishing responsibilities between the couple and any children that ensue.

The laws concerning marriage did not create marriage, they merely attempted to solve problems in such areas as inheritance, property, paternity, divorce, adoption and so on.

If the government passed a law declaring that grey was now green, and asphalt was specifically designated as a botanical organism, would that make all our streets into "greenery" and all our parking lots into "parks"?

If a court declared that from now on, "blind" and "sighted" would be synonyms, would that mean that it would be safe for blind people to drive cars?

No matter how sexually attracted a man might be toward other men, or a woman toward other women, and no matter how close the bonds of affection and friendship might be within same-sex couples, there is no act of court or Congress that can make these relationships the same as the coupling between a man and a woman.

This is a permanent fact of nature.(In another column I will talk seriously and candidly about the state of scientific research on the causes of homosexuality, and the reasons why homosexuality persists even though it does not provide a reproductive advantage.)

There is no natural method by which two males or two females can create offspring in which both partners contribute genetically. This is not subject to legislation, let alone fashionable opinion.Human beings are part of a long mammalian tradition of heterosexuality. No parthenogenic test tube procedure can alter what we, by nature, are. No surgery, no hormone injections, can change X to Y or make the distinction nonexistent.

That a few individuals suffer from tragic genetic mixups does not affect the differences between genetically distinct males and females.

That many individuals suffer from sex-role dysfunctions does not change the fact that only heterosexual mating can result in families where a father and a mother collaborate in rearing children that share a genetic contribution from both parents.

Married people are doing something that is very, very hard -- to combine the lives of a male and female, with all their physical and personality differences, into a stable relationship that persists across time.When they are able to create children together, married people then provide the role models for those children to learn how to become a man or a woman, and what to expect of their spouse when they themselves marry.

When a heterosexual couple cannot have children, their faithful marriage still affirms, in the eyes of other people's children, the universality of the pattern of marriage.

When a heterosexual couple adopts children who are not their genetic offspring, they affirm the pattern of marriage and generously confer its blessings on children who might otherwise have been deprived of its benefits.

Some marriages are better than others; some fail utterly because of the malfeasance of one or both of the partners.

That only makes it all the more vital that the whole society combine to help husbands and wives succeed at marriage.

We need the same public protection of marriage that we have of property. If we did not all agree that people continue to own things that are not in their immediate possession, then you could not reasonably expect to come home and find your house unoccupied.We agree, by law, to make it a crime to take what belongs to others -- even when you need it more than they do. Every aspect of our lives is affected by this, and not for a moment could a society exist that did not protect the right of property.

If property rights were utterly abolished, and you could own nothing, you would leave that society as quickly as possible -- or create a new society that agreed to respect each other's property rights and protected them from outsiders who would attempt to take away your property.

Marriage is, if anything, more vital, more central, than property.Husbands need to have the whole society agree that when they marry, their wives are off limits to all other males. He has a right to trust that all his wife's children would be his.

Wives need to have the whole society agree that when they marry, their husband is off limits to all other females. All of his protection and earning power will be devoted to her and her children, and will not be divided with other women and their children.

These two premises are so basic that they preexist any known government. In most societies through history, failure to live up to these commitments has led to extreme social sanctions -- even, in many cases, death.

What used to be informally protected by the customs of villages and tribes is now supposedly protected by governments and laws.

Only when the marriage of heterosexuals has the support of the whole society can we have our best hope of raising each new generation to aspire to continue our civilization -- including the custom of marriage.

Seen in this context, we are fools if we think "gay marriage" is the first or even the worst threat to marriage.

We heterosexuals have put marriage in such a state that it's a wonder homosexuals would even aspire to call their unions by that name.

Divorce is "no-fault," easily obtained on any pretext.A vast number of unmarried men and women have such contempt for marriage that they share bed and home without asking for any formal recognition by society.

In an era when birth control and abortion make childbearing completely optional, the number of out-of-wedlock births shows the contempt that many women have for marriage.

Yet most of these single mothers still demand that the man they chose not to marry before having sex with him provide financial support for them and their children -- while denying the man any of the rights and protections of marriage.

Men routinely discard wives and children to follow the nearly universal male biological desire for diversity in mating. Adultery is now openly expected of men, even if faithful wives deplore it.

With "gay marriage," the last shreds of meaning will be stripped away from marriage, with homosexuals finishing what faithless, selfish heterosexuals have begun.Marriage, to be worth preserving, needs to mean not just something, but everything.

Faithful sexual monogamy, persistence until death, male protection and providence for wife and children, female loyalty to children and husband, and parental discretion in child-rearing.

If government is going to meddle in this, it had better be to support marriage in general while providing protection for those caught in truly destructive marriages.

Because when government is the enemy of marriage, then the people who are actually creating successful marriages have no choice but to change governments, by whatever means is made possible or necessary.

Society gains no benefit whatsoever (except for a momentary warm feeling about how "fair" and "compassionate" we are) from renaming homosexual liaisons and friendships as marriage.

Married people attempting to raise children with the hope that they, in turn, will be reproductively successful, have every reason to oppose the normalization of homosexual unions.

It's about grandchildren. That's what all life is about. It's not enough just to spawn -- your offspring must grow up in circumstances that will maximize their reproductive opportunities.

Why should married people feel the slightest loyalty to a government or society that are conspiring to encourage reproductive and/or marital dysfunction in their children?

Why should married people tolerate the interference of such a government or society in their family life?

If America becomes a place where our children are taken from us by law and forced to attend schools where they are taught that cohabitation is as good as marriage, that motherhood doesn't require a husband or father, and that homosexuality is as valid a choice as heterosexuality for their future lives, then why in the world should married people continue to accept the authority of such a government?

What these dictator-judges do not seem to understand is that their authority extends only as far as people choose to obey them.

How long before married people answer the dictators thus: Regardless of law, marriage has only one definition, and any government that attempts to change it is my mortal enemy. I will act to destroy that government and bring it down, so it can be replaced with a government that will respect and support marriage, and help me raise my children in a society where they will expect to marry in their turn.

Biological imperatives trump laws. American government cannot fight against marriage and hope to endure. If the Constitution is defined in such a way as to destroy the privileged position of marriage, it is that insane Constitution, not marriage, that will die.

-=-=-=-=-

Orson Scott Card is a writer of nonfiction and fiction, from LDS works to popular fiction. “In the Village” appears Thursdays in the Deseret News. This article is taken from mormontimes.com.

Image in this blog article was taken from www.whatisprop8.com.

"Angels Round About You"

General Conference, what a weekend!

I love General Conferences because they remind me about beauty in simplicity & that the Heavens are open. The meetings are usually composed of talks & singing of sacred hymns. It has remained that way since its inception—a simple program, yet profound in effect. Here is when the will of the Lord is revealed because His prophets and apostles speak.

The messages, the music, the prayers, the ambiance were so reminiscent of how I’ve been raised up—a clear reflection of my parents’ principles. It reminds me of my childhood days. It’s wonderful to find the church still the same in a world of shifting values & eroding morals. President Hinckley used to liken the church as a solid rock standing amidst the ravishing storms of the day—that regardless of the immensity of changes around us, the church holds up the values and standards the Lord has given as never changing.

This past weekend, I’ve been enthralled by the powerful messages of the Lord’s servants & the lasting effects of the music rendered. All contributed to an ultimate retreat from the world.

One specific talk I loved was Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s “The Ministry of Angels”. It gave this scripture an intimate meaning: “And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (D&C 84:88).

This promise meant so much during my 2-year full time missionary service for the church. I could not even begin to imagine what I would have been like without the Lord’s assistance in such a magnanimous endeavor. This scripture was intended for missionaries—that they wouldn’t have to worry on how to go about their missions, because the Lord will be with them.

After listening to Elder Holland’s conference piece, the last part of that verse began to glow with a special implication.

Here’s part of Elder Holland’s talk:

In the course of life all of us spend time in “dark and dreary” places, circumstances of sorrow or fear or discouragement. Our present day is filled with global distress over financial crises, energy problems, terrorist attacks, and natural calamities. These translate into individual and family concerns not only about homes in which to live and food available to eat, but also about the ultimate safety and well-being of our children and the latter-day prophecies about our planet.

More serious than these—and sometimes related to them—are matters of ethical, moral and spiritual decay seen in populations large and small, at home and abroad. But I testify that angels are still sent to help us, even as they were sent to help Adam and Eve, to help the prophets, and indeed to help the Savior of the World Himself.

Matthew records in his gospel that after Satan had tempted Christ in the wilderness “angels came and ministered unto him.” Even the Son of God, a God Himself, had need for heavenly comfort during His sojourn in mortality. And so such ministrations will be to the righteous until the end of time. As Mormon said to his son, Moroni , who would one day be an angel:

“…Has the day of miracles ceased?

“Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?

“Behold I say unto you, Nay; for…it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; for behold, they are subject unto [Christ], to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mine in every form of godliness.”

I ask everyone within the sound of my voice to take heart, be filled with faith, and remember the Lord has said He would “fight [our] battles,…[our] children's battles, and [the battles of our] children's children.” What do we do to merit such a defense? We are to “search diligently, pray always, and be believing. [Then] all things shall work together for [our] good, if [we] walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.” The latter days are not a time to fear and tremble. They are a time to be believing and remember our covenants.

He then went on to speak about mortal angels. He talked about how an angel his mother was to him—that in our lifetime there will be people who will bring so powerful & meaningful an influence that they, too, can be regarded as angels in their own right.

I couldn’t help but think of the angels who had gone my way along the paths of life. It is true that once a person lifts off from being a child into becoming an adult, that the “dark & dreary” circumstances come. Childhood fears become insignificant, but are replaced with consequential ones—e.g. financial stability, building a family, etc. Sorrow & discouragement almost always take over emotional strength. It’s a struggle. Life will always be filled with battles, but angels do come to the rescue. They may not necessarily be immortals. My parents were angels to me. They have such an overwhelming influence in my life.

Now, angels continue to come. When the Lord said, “…mine angels [will be] round about you, to bear you up”, He really meant that, especially in these difficult times. Despite how strong we think we had become in facing the challenges and troubles of our time, there will be unhappy or near to the ground moments. These circumstances will merit our friends’ and family’s support.

I’ve always looked up to myself as being strong since my Mission. The conditions after my missionary service really tested me. Grateful will I always be for the powerful influence of angels in my mission, such as my Mission President & his wife, my 10 companions, and all of the member friends I gained. The people I’ve met whom I was able to share the gospel to, were also angels. Without them, I would not have been able to appreciate and realize the purpose of service & the real meaning of charity or the pure love of Christ.

In this time of day, I wouldn’t deny that fear, sorrow, & discouragement still take over my human side. My friends, both in and outside the church, take the role of angels. Without their watchful reinforcements & constant reminders, being alone, without a family, may take its toll in me and would possibly drive me nuts. Along the way, angels seem to come to the rescue. I am aware that in spite of having been able to govern myself accordingly in conjunction to the correct principles taught to me, and while I battle or struggle to walk in righteous paths, the adversary will always look for ways to distract my determination. My principles, the fortress that I take refuge from—the church, & the covenants that I made with the Lord, will be rallied against. I know it is difficult.

I believe in the promise of the Lord that He will send His angels. They are “round about” me. If I do my best “walking uprightly” & doing my part in keeping the commandments of the Lord, I need not tremble and fear in this “dark & dreary” place & time. The immortal angels will surely come if necessary, but the mortal ones will be there to bear me up and keep me on my feet.

Joseph Smith's First Prayer: In Search For Truth

In the mission, we used to have 6 discussions to share with those we came in contact with who were interested to know more about the church. My favorite has always been the first discussion where we talk about the prophet Joseph Smith. I’ve often felt the spirit every time we quote his very own words about his first vision.

"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me... When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other--This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him!" (see Joseph Smith History: 1:15-17).

That first vision of Joseph Smith was a remarkable event. I know of no other person in history who claimed to have seen and spoken to God and His Son, Jesus Christ, as intimately as Joseph did in that grove of trees. However, as phenomenal as it was, to some, it was incredible.

One of my favorite testimonies about the prophet Joseph given by a modern prophet was that of Heber J. Grant. He said: “I’ve heard hundreds of men say if it wasn’t for Joseph Smith, I could accept your religion. Any man, who doesn’t believe in Joseph Smith as a prophet of the true and the living God, has no right to be in this church. The foundation stone: If he who did not make that interview with God and Jesus Christ, the whole Mormon fabric is a failure—it’s a fraud, it isn’t worth anything on earth. But God did come. God did introduce His Son. God did inspire that man to organize the Church of Jesus Christ, and all the opposition of the world is not able to withstand the truth”.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has blossomed like a rose & has come out of obscurity. It is now the 5th largest church in the U.S. and one of the fastest growing in the world. It is the 2nd largest in the state of California. Many people admire our devotion to family and the church’s program towards the family. They are impressed with our law of health, on how we take care of our youth. Many are overwhelmed with our welfare program, in our ability to help our own and others not of our faith at the same time. No other religious organization has a missionary program as successful and as structured as our missions in the church. The church, for some, is too good to be true—a perfect organization which so many admire and would want to emulate. But when the discussion comes in about Joseph Smith and his first vision, people become disinterested, simply because the story is unbelievable.

This great church, brothers and sisters, is a product of young Joseph’s first vocal prayer. The significance of that prayer is that, the truth came out in the open.

Every time I read the personal history of Joseph Smith as found in the Pearl of Great Price, I am amazed at the events that happened before he made the attempt to pray vocally. It also teaches us how to receive answers to our prayers & experience our own sacred grove.

1st, Joseph had the desire to know the truth. The religious revival during Joseph’s time was so intense that churches would advertise their beliefs as if in the marketplace. Joseph was confused as to which church he should join.

He said: "During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong.

"My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others.

"In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?" (JSH 1:8-10).

Notice his statements of desire when he said: “What is to be done”? & “how shall I know it”? He wanted that something be done about the matter & he wanted to know how. If we are to read between the lines, his desire went together with study. Along the way, he was studying the different Christian denominations—the result of which was that his “mind became partial to the Methodist sect”.

The word “desire” in simple terms, means “to want something very strongly”. Because Joseph wanted, very strongly, to know the truth, he had to do some study about the issue he was facing. He studied the scriptures and he talked often with his parents about religion.
In the course of his study, he came across a verse in the book of James in the Bible which read: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him" (James 1:5).

Joseph did just what James suggested. He was only 14 years old. Early one morning, in the spring of 1820, Joseph went to a nearby grove of trees. He was alone. He knelt in solemn and humble prayer. All he wanted to know was which church was true. His faith was such that he believed he would receive that answer, just as was promised in the book of James. What he did not, even could not expect was the appearance of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Of this momentous occasion in his life as well as the history of mankind, he said:

"After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.

"But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

"It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

"My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.

"I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof." (JSH 1:15-19)

What a glorious and straightforward result that was, to receive a specific answer to a specific question. The truth of the matter is, not only did the great restoration take place after that event, in its own humble setting; it was also a powerful example that our personal prayers can be answered, if we desire, study, believe, & not give up or give in if we are faced with adversity. I could not even begin to imagine the kind of opposition young Joseph came across with in that grove of trees while he was praying. He said: "I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction".

That moment was so significant that it would mean the end of the dark ages of Christianity & the start of the “restitution of all things” as prophesied by the holy prophets in the Bible, such as Amos & Peter. NO wonder the prince of darkness would react with such terrible demonstration.

For the remainder of Joseph Smith’s life, regardless of how many painful and difficult ways his enemies tried, Joseph Smith, Jr. never ever denied his testimony. Denying truth does not make it any less true, and he never denied truth.

Joseph lived a thousand lifetimes in his scant 38 years on this earth. His first prayer resulted to more accomplishments than any other prophet who lived on this earth, save Jesus only. The truth came out. The glorious gospel was restored. The meaning of the atonement was realized. The reality of the Godhead and the characteristics of each of its members were instinctively revealed.

I am obliged to Joseph Smith, who, prior to the coming forth of The Book of Mormon, became a prophet by virtue of his vision of God the Father and His Son. I know, regardless of personal acquaintance with Joseph, that he is a prophet of God; that even though I wasn't there to witness his experience with Deity, I know that it happened. What he said he saw, I know that he saw. When he related that he talked with God and Jesus Christ personally, I know that he did!

2008 UAAP Cheerdance Competition: Post-Mortem

Each year, UAAP cheerdance squads become more creative. Although stunts and tosses had become familiar, choreography and originality make each annual competition worth anticipating for.

The UP Pep Squad captured their back-to-back glory, their 5th UAAP Cheerdance title, including 3 straight from 1999-2001. Their routine showcased a tribal-inspired theme, a fusion of creativity and gymnastics moves. Their theme set them apart from everybody else. It was some sort of a sequel to their profound opening ceremony for this year’s UAAP. They host it in this 71st season.

Aside from the unique incorporation of a theme in their routine, the UP Pep squad demonstrated an above average degree of difficulty in their dance technique, tumbling, tosses, lifts/stunts, and building of pyramids. I had to give it to them in those departments. Auspiciously, looking at the body build of the squad’s members, they were able to dynamically execute their routine.


Another highlight in the UP Pep’s program was its choreography. There was a story in their routine and they were able to prudently integrate the story line into the flow of their presentation. It was transparent that anyone who was watching intently could identify that a theme was already being featured. That was unique and profound. It definitely seized the nod of the judges.

At one point I wrote about a transformation in cheering, and that UP spearheaded that revolution. The UP Pep’s routine this year is reminiscent of their 3-peat championship in the past. It was a wise choice to bring back that sort of signature which obviously surprised the judges and led them to score abundantly.


On the other hand, the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe earned a runner-up finish. Coming from a back-to-back 1st runner-up rank, this squad should not be put on the back burner as it has in its sleeves 8 UAAP Cheerdance titles—3 straight from 1995-1997, and 5 consecutive from 2002-2006. This year, the Salinggawi made the most of what they do best: synchronization, stunts/lifts, tosses, and trouble-free assembling of pyramids. Best bits were its clean execution, fluid transitions from one formation to another, and synchronicity of tosses and lifts. They presented classic cheerdancing with members resembling those American cheerleaders we see in ESPN—in costume.

I would concur to the judges’ verdict placing the UST Salinggawi 2nd in rank. Had their tosses seen more height, tumbling elements picked up, and degree of difficulty pushed a notch higher, they would have come really close to UP’s performance (I believe body build has a lot to do with being able to execute vigorously). I say “really close” since UST’s choreography and originality aren’t the same level as it used to demonstrate in the previous years.


The FEU Cheering Squad consistently remained on the 3rd spot. This group emerged as a dark horse in the cheering arena when it bagged its first and only championship in 1998. Since then, it has become reliably skillful each passing year. It has come to be known for its tidy routine implementation. It has mastered the knack for synchronization and difficult pyramids.
This year, the squad showcased Mohawk-styled male constituents and a blazing fire-inspired theme. This theme, however, was not sustained in the routine and was a little bleak if the whole picture is taken. Nevertheless, its degree of difficulty was noticeable in building pyramids and formations were impressive.

The Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion came in with a spectacle of tosses, near to perfect tumbling elements, and a mixture of dance and lifts. This team is also dynamic in execution of lifts and stunts as their body build show. It is incredible how this squad turned from all-male cheerleading into modern cheerdancing—now a blend of males and females. They have improved in gymnastics skills and definitely caught on to the trend.

This year, the degree of difficulty and choreography drew the line between the top 3 and the other squads, including the Ateneo BBB. Synchronicity, a huge 10 pts in the overall judging system, was not on the side of most squads.


The Adamson Pep Squad displayed a variety of stunts and difficult pyramids, yet lacked in the departments of dance technique, choreography, and formations, which affected its overall effectiveness.


The same can be observed with the Animo Squad of DLSU. They improved as exhibited by their firm lifts and swift tumbling elements, but tosses and stunts were lacking. The level of difficulty and choreography weren’t too imposing. Their routine, however, was redemption of their cellar finish last year.


The UE Pep Squad came running with a striking choreography and instantaneous display of pyramids and tosses. Lifts and stunts, however, blurred the impact of their routine. Because of the fast-paced program, synchronicity and dance technique were almost no where to be found.

My utmost respect is vested to the NU Pep Squad in their routine this year. They’ve come prepared with their basket tosses, stunts, and even standing back tucks. I like the part when one showed off his tumbling skill doing some sort of an aerial. They hit their routine and executed in simplicity with a touch of difficulty.

Images courtesy of UBELT.COM

The Dying Man Who Taught Me How To Live

This week I’d like to write about Randy Pausch. I never heard of the man until yesterday when a friend, Rafael Osumo, introduced the name & talked a little bit about the person. It was during Sunday school that I saw a shortened version of his renowned “Last Lecture”. It was presented in the Oprah Winfrey show.

Randy Pausch was a Computer Science Professor at Carnegie Mellon University. He died last month of pancreatic cancer. When he gave his “Last Lecture” at the University, he had only months to live.

I would like to share excerpts from his lecture as they relate to life. You can watch the full version in this blog article.

It somewhat came as a surprise for a Computer Science professor to talk about “Childhood Dreams” in a classroom lecture. Then again, it was a personal preference in response to the question: “If you only have months to live, and is asked to lecture on something, what would it be? What would you talk about”?

It was ironic for a man who’s dying to talk about life and how to live. Randy said he didn’t want to be the object of pity. He didn’t like what he was going through because he has 3 little children. He couldn’t do anything about the fact that he was going to die. He said he couldn’t control the cards he’s dealt, just how he plays the hands.

CHILDHOOD DREAMS

In the lecture, he talked about his childhood dreams. He related that he couldn’t find any childhood pictures where he wasn’t smiling. He had a great childhood. He said as a child he dreamed. It was an easy time to dream when you turn on the television and see man landing on the moon: anything is possible. He said we should never lose that spirit.

He dreamed to be a part of the National Football League (NFL), which never happened. He said that “if you don’t achieve your dreams you can still get a lot by trying for it”. That’s important to know. He quoted an expression that he loves, “experience is what you get when you don’t get what you wanted”.

He talked about how his football coach “rode” him all the time during practice. He thought that was a good thing. It meant that he cared. “When you’re doing a bad job and nobody points it out to you, that’s when they’ve given up on you”, he said.

Next he talked about his other dream: A Walt Disney Imagineer. When he was 8 years old his family took a pilgrimage to Disneyland in California. He described it as an “incredible experience”. He was impressed with the rides, the shows, and attractions. He wanted to make stuffs like the ones he saw in Disneyland when he gets older. When he graduated from college, he tried to be an imagineer. Imagineers are the people who “make the magic”. His applications got rejected. He tried again after graduate school and still got rejected. He jested about how he kept those rejection letters and thought they were inspirational.

He worked hard until he became a junior faculty member. He specialized in doing research. There was one “Virtual Reality Research” that he was involved in. By so doing, he developed a skill that was valuable to Disney. That was his chance. He became part of the imagineering team and they worked on something called “Alladin’s Magic Carpet Ride”. It took him over 15 years to finally get a start in Disney. What he learned from that experience is: The brick walls that are in our way are there for a reason. They’re not there to keep us out. They’re there to give us a way to show how much we want it.

GOOD PARENTS: Key to having childhood dreams
He also recommended that we need to have good parents in order for us to have childhood dreams. He said he had great parents. He went on showing slides of his mother and father in their 70’s and 80’s. His mom was riding a go-cart and his dad, a roller coaster. He said there is that notion of “have fun all the time. Have a sense of fun and wonder. That should never go away”.

His dad fought in World War II. He died a little over a year ago. Randy said that while his mom was going through his things, she discovered that her husband was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor, during World War II. In 50 years of marriage, it has never come up. That is a great lesson in humility.

Randy went on to talk about his mother. He described mothers as “people who love you even when you pull their hair”. Her mother was also an example of humility to him. He recalled when he was going through graduate school; she was always there to keep him on check. He said when he was taking really hard examinations, he would go home and whine, complain about how hard those PH. D tests were. His mother would just pat his arm and say “we know how you feel. Just remember that when your father was your age, he was fighting the Germans in World War II”. Finally when Randy got his PH.D, his mother introduced him to everyone saying, “this is my son, he’s a doctor, but not the kind that helps people”.

He remembered how his parents let him paint his bedroom. He drew a rocket ship. They lived in a ranch so he wanted an elevator—he painted one. He also painted the quadratic equation on the wall. He said that the great thing is that his parents let him do it. They let him express his creativity. They thought that was “more important than the pristine nature of the walls”.

PEOPLE VS.THINGS
His parents also taught the importance of people vs. things. He recalled buying his first car when he got older. On weekends he would take his niece (Laura) and nephew (Christopher), with him so his sister would get a little break. They would go on adventures. His sister would explain to the kids how it’s a no-no to get Uncle Randy’s new car dirty. The kids were just cracking up laughing because over her shoulder, they were casually emptying a can of soda over the back seat of Randy’s car. His sister was like, “what are you doing?” and Randy would respond, “It’s a thing. It’s just a thing”. He was glad he did that because at the end of the weekend as he was driving the kids home, Kris who was 8 at the time had a flu and he threw up all over the back seat of his car. Take note of this: Randy said, “I don’t care how much value you get out of owning a nice shiny pristine thing. It’s not as good as I felt knowing that I made an 8 year old boy not feel guilty just because he had the flu”.

DECIDE WHAT YOU ARE
Next he said that we have to decide early on if we’re a Tigger or an Eeyore. Tiggers are energetic, optimistic, curious, and enthusiastic. They have fun. He said not to ever underestimate the importance of having fun. He said he’s dying soon and he’s choosing to have fun “today, tomorrow, and every other day I have left”.

WORK AND PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS
Tell the Truth
Randy continued by saying that if we want to achieve our dreams, we must work and play well with others. Live with integrity—simple advise that we’ll find hard to follow: Just tell the truth.

Apologize (properly)
He admonished that when we screw up, apologize. There are a lot of bad apologies in America, if not the world. He said that a good apology has 3 parts: 1. I’m sorry, 2. It was my fault, and 3. How do I make it right? He lamented that most people skip the 3rd part. That’s how one can tell sincerity.

Wait, and people will show you their good side
There are people that we don’t like—that have done things we don’t like. Randy emphasized that he found out that no one is pure evil. He said that if we wait long enough, people will show us their good side. We can’t make them do it in a hurry, but we can be patient.

SHOW GRATITUDE
When he got tenure, as a young faculty member, there were about 15 young kids who had been working in his research lab. He took them out to Disney World for a week. He paid for the expenses. One of his colleagues said that that might have cost him a fortune. How could have he possibly done it? He responded: “These kids work day and night for years so that I could get the best job in the world for life. How could I not do it”? Gratitude is a very simple and powerful thing.

DON’T COMPLAIN; JUST WORK HARDER
Most of the time we hear our colleagues talk negatively about how things aren’t going the way they should in the company. They rub that attitude to us and we tend to complain about our work, as well. Then someone would say “don’t complain, just do your job”, but here’s a better advise I’ve never thought of for a long time.

Randy didn’t think that complaining and whining really solves the problem. He talked about Jackie Robinson, the first African-American Major League Baseball player. He had in his contract not to complain if people spit on him. It doesn’t matter if we’re Jackie Robinson or like Randy who only has couple of months to live. We can choose to take our finite time, energy, and effort, and we can spend it complaining or we “can spend it playing the game hard”—which is probably going to be more helpful in the long run.

WHY RANDY GAVE THE TALK
The lecture was part of a series given at Carnegie Mellon University. Randy said that his talk isn’t just about how to achieve our childhood dreams. It’s much broader than that. He said it’s about how to live our life. If we lead our life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to us.

“If you live properly, the dreams will come to you”. – Randy Pausch

It was so stirring to find out that Randy didn’t just give this lecture to the 400 people in Carnegie Mellon who came, and so many have benefited from it. He wrote the lecture for 3 people—his kids. He hopes that when they get older, they could watch it.